The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-08-27
Heroic Nun.

In the presence of all the French
troops guarding the capital of Ton
quin, the Govcrnor-Gencra recently
bestowed the cross of the Legion OF
Honor on q nun, Mother Mary
Teresa, Superioress Of the Sisters OF
Charity in that empire. The troops
were drawn up i'll the principal plaza
of the city in a square surrounding
a platform on which was the Gov
crnor.Gencral and his staff. When
an aid-dc-camp was sent to bring
the nun he found her in tne hospital
consoling a soldier who was having
his leg a%mputated. She refused to
leave the bedside until the operation
was completed, and then followed
the officer to the square, where she
was received by the general in per
son and led. to the platform, amid
the Joyful exclamation Of the soldiers.
The general then commanded silence,
and in a solemn and impressive tone
addressed her as follows:
Mother Mary Teresa, when you
were twenty years of age you re.
ceiyed a wound from a cannon ball
while assisting one of the wounded
on the field of Balak|aya. In 1856
the she'll from the mitrailleuse laid
you p%ostrate in the front rank Gu
the battle field of Magenta. Since
then You have been in Syria, ia
China and in Mexico, and if you
were not wounded it was not be-
cause you have not exposed your
self to the shot Of gun and canno
and the sabres and lances Of the
enemy. In 1870 You were taken up
in Reischoffen covered with many
sabre wounds among a heap Of dead
cuirassers. Such deeds of heroism
you have crowned a few weeks ago
with one of the most heroic actions
which history records. \ grenade
fell upon the ambulance which was
under your charge: it did not burst,
but it might have done so at any
moment and caused new wounds f;
but there you were-you took up the
grenade in your arms, you smiled
upon the wounded, who looked at
you with feelings Of dismay, not for
themselves, but for you, and you car
ried it away to a distance of eighty
metres. en- laying it down you
noticed that it was going to burst;
you threw yourself on the ground;
it burst; you were covered with
blood, but when persons came to
your assistance you rose up smiling,
as is your wont, and said +: This is
nothing! You are scarcely recov.
cred from your wound, and you re.
turn to the hospital, whence | have
just now summoned you"
During these words of praise the
good nun held her head modestly
cas-, down, with her eyes fixed on
her crucifx that hung by her side.
TIE General made her kneel down,
anG drawing his sword, touched her
with it three times On the
and pinned the cross of the
Legion Of iiouor on her habit, say.
with a %euivering voice:
Il put upon you the cross Of the
brave in the name of the French
people and army; nc one has gained
by more deeds Of heroism, nor by
a life so completely spent in self alb
negation for the benefit Of your
brothers and the service of your
country. Soldiers, present arms!"
The troops saluted, the drums and
rang out, the air was filled
with loud acclamations, and all was
jnbilation and Excitement as Mother
Mary Teresa rose up aud said :
General, have you finished with
mc?'
YES" said he.
well, then, | am going back to
my wounded soldier in the hospital"
Exchange.